Mobile gaming is when a smartphone owner plays games from their device, either online using a web browser or via a mobile gaming app. These could be simple quiz-style games, multiplayer games or even online casino games.
The revenue of the mobile gaming industry continues to grow each year, which suggests the popularity of mobile games is also continuing to increase. According to data published by Statista, the mobile gaming industry boasted revenues of US$58 billion in 2017, which almost reached US$110 billion in 2021. Projection also predicts that the market could be worth close to US$175 billion by 2026. There are a number of reasons why mobile games continue to surge in popularity.
Mobile games are made addictive
One of the biggest reasons why mobile gaming keeps getting more popular is that it’s designed to. All types of mobile games are developed to be addictive. From the bright colours and chimes to the narratives and gaming badges. This is especially true with the majority of online slot machines as these are designed to reel you in, excuse the pun, usually by providing free welcome bonuses and further free spins the more you play.
Mobile games keep getting better
The quality of mobile games keeps getting better as well. No longer are all the games on the market simple games with minimal shapes and colours. We now have sophisticated and even interactive games like Pokémon Go. Modern games incorporate other technologies to make them more appealing, such as Augmented Reality.
That’s not to say a mobile game needs to be complex to be successful. Just look at the new craze in Wordle, a game where you simply have to guess a word each day. The social aspect of these games has also helped because you’re probably not just guessing the word but competing with your partner or work colleagues.
Smartphones and internet connections are improving
The evolution of the smartphone also plays into the hands of mobile gaming. This isn’t by accident, with many smartphone manufacturers recognising the upward trend in mobile gaming. They’ve developed more powerful smartphones and tablet devices to allow better games to be played. And the screen size of the average smartphone has increased, which also creates a better mobile gaming experience.
5G connectivity continues to be rolled out and can reduce the lag time in games. With less chance of connection failures, it makes mobile games more appealing, especially when the gamer is playing casino games where they’re risking their own money and can’t afford the connection to drop.
How to reduce your mobile gaming addiction
If you recognise that you’re playing mobile games too often, here are some top tips to reduce your playing time:
1. Set alarms, so you don’t “over-game”
2. Track your screen time and set daily screen time limits to warn you
3. Commit to spending the same amount of time active as you do gaming each day
